The Rock Princess
by Dragon on Vacation
Summary: So I am tentatively posting this, it's a semi-original fairy tale, but I'm throwing in my favorite gym leader as the "prince". The beginning is rather un-pokemon-ly, but I promise it will make more sense later on. Please enjoy and let me know what you think :) May alter the rating as later chapters are posted.
1. A Long Time Ago

Once there was a kingdom amongst mountains rich with ore, crystals, and various other precious minerals. The king and queen had a daughter named Viridis and a son named Kamourlo. Both children were the picture of royalty. They were experts in etiquette at the early ages of five, and their tutors had nothing but praise for their other educational efforts. Vir, as she is commonly called by those close to her, is proficient in the musical arts, favoring piano and violin. Kam is a tad mischievous, but never lets his fun go too far.

The King was a just and wise ruler, despite his age. He was not overly young, but some thought he possessed the wisdom of those much older than he.

The queen was the face of the kingdom, and behind the scenes, has her hand in almost every decision made by the king. Her presence negates the job of the royal advisers, who really are just figureheads.

We enter this story in the royal audience chamber, where the king sits attentively relaxed on his high dais, jeweled rings sparkling in the evening sunset. A man in a hooded cloak bows respectfully before him. It is plain that he has traveled a great distance.

"My liege, I have come upon news that may interest you greatly." the man says. The king nods politely for the man to elaborate. "There is rumored to be a great treasure, in a secret chamber underneath the royal mines. Few know about it. The miners keep it a great secret. But, as you well know, your majesty, great secrets can only be so great as to be known by many." The king lets the man regain his breath before speaking in a neutral tone.

"It is well known by kingdoms far and wide the riches contained in my mountains and hills. It is most certainly one of the main reasons we have an elite military force to secure it, and thus keep the kingdom safe from invasion. I am well aware of what comes out of those mines. I'm sure what you have to tell me will not be as alarming as you seem to think." The man lowers his head briefly, acknowledging the king's words before speaking.

"Yes sire, I understand that full well. But what makes this treasure different, even from that which is naturally contained within your rich mines, is that it is most certainly not natural, and was actually placed there." There was a pause as the king lifted an eyebrow in renewed interest. "Long, long ago, you see, sire." the man amended. The king leaned forward in his lofty throne. Taking advantage of his wife's absence from court while visiting relatives, he wanted to know everything about this treasure before she could draw her plans around it. "Now, I am not positive on the accuracy of this rumor, as I'm sure it's visited many a tavern, but it is said the treasure was placed in the mountain by a creature unlike any other. This monster made its den in the very mountain where the treasure lies, and rumor has it that the way to the treasure can be found somewhere in the royal mines." The spy paused his tale to hear the king's opinion.

"This story...is quite incredible, were it true. But I have to say, and wouldn't you think also, sir, that it sounds a bit far from reality?" the king replied. A servant appeared to hand the king a goblet of wine, but not before tasting it himself, of course.

"Aye, majesty. I too believed it the stuff of children's tales, but it happened to make its way to me through the word of a miner who claims to have actually seen strange activity occurring in the mines while working. He spoke of strange lights, not like eyes, glowing bright and then fading, of phantom whispers to follow a disembodied voice, and a strange pulsing coming from the cave walls. Thinking it very strange indeed, I did some investigating of my own. I was led by the miner I spoke to, into the caves where they dug for precious gems, and the phenomena was not shy of making itself known." The king thought for a moment.

"How can you be certain these occurrences aren't the result of a jest of some kind?" he asked his spy.

"Your majesty, with all due respect, I know what I saw, and I know with a grand certainty those things couldn't be falsified by any human means." The king's eyes searched the walls of the chamber in curiosity.

"Very well. Then it is decided. I will go in search of this treasure. But I have a task for you. Go forth through the kingdoms and ensure the populace this rumor was completely falsified by bored workers looking to stir up intrigue. No one, and I mean no one, is to know where I've gone. Or it will be you who goes, and not quietly at that. Am I clear?" the king asked.

"As crystal." the spy replied.

Elsewhere in the castle, Princess Vir sat at her elaborate writing desk, which was strewn with a variety of small sparkling stones. She held one up to the light of the setting sun, while her maid Alima sat repairing one of the princess' fine gowns. "Garnet. This one is dark. It could probably be cut into many different things. What do you think Alima?" Vir asked, turning to her maid. Alima paused in her work to respond to the princess.

"Yes milady, 'tis a very beautiful stone. I believe the same color as this dress here. Wouldn't you say?" The princess' face fell slightly as she cast her eyes down to peer at the dress Alima was mending. It was damaged a couple weeks ago when snuck out of a ball held by the queen in an attempt to introduce her to eligible gentlemen to marry. Vir always loved exploring the rocky landscape outside the castle walls, especially after Alima agreed to bring her various crystals she happened to find on her days off. On the day of the party, she wheedled her way around various bachelors all trying to win her favor in some strange way or other. Love was a foreign concept to Vir. She knew what love should be, should look like, but she had yet to feel it with anyone with whom she could consider as a suitable marriage partner. So far, all the men she'd met were greedy nobles who all had an agenda under the roses and pearls they handed her. Making her way to the doors leading out the courtyard, she managed to sneak out without alerting anyone. To the guards posted outside, she claimed she was taking a short walk in the castle gardens to cool off. Alima was there to chaperone.

At the edge of the garden, Vir crouched through a hole in a bush, where Alima agreed to wait for her. That night, she'd managed to collect many stones of her own, including some with some very strange shapes in them. She later showed them to her tutor, who confirmed they were called 'fossils'.

"These rocks contain creatures and plant life that, slowly after their death, they were encased in earth and that solidified to preserve the shape of the thing therein. Quite fascinating, I agree, princess." Vir's tutor, Jasnor, was very supportive of her curious nature, despite the queen's desire for the princess to focus mainly on royal duties. Vir and Jasnor had a mutual agreement not to share anything deemed 'unsuitable' by the queen, to her.

The next morning after the spy's arrival, Vir made her way to the private dining room reserved for the royal family. She was surprised to see her father not there. He was usually the first of them to arrive to meals, as he loves food. She let a servant pull out a chair for her, before gracefully sweeping her skirts underneath her, and sitting. The queen had returned from visiting her cousin, and was contentedly sipping tea at table when Vir arrived. Kamourlo would join them soon after.

"Where is father?" Vir asked. The queen replied,

"Your father has been called to aid in the capture of a petty criminal causing a bit of annoyance to the court. He should return within the next week or two." That didn't sound right. Why would father be policing a common criminal? He has men aplenty to take care of that.

"Why is he doing that when he has men perfectly capable of handling it?" Vir asked. Kam also thought it strange. "Normally he tells us of things like this before he up and disappears. Strange." he said. The queen nodded.

"I agree. But all I have is this letter he left at the bedside." She procured the letter for her children to peruse.

Dear Family,

The actions of a persistent criminal have been brought to my attention. He is accused of constantly stealing valuables and has yet to be captured after quite a while. I have left for a short while to aid my men in the search. I will report with news as soon as I can.

Forever yours,  
King Londronan Enesortia


	2. A New Friend

Vir spent the next morning perusing the grounds, and with permission from the guards, was allowed to explore the town with Alima as chaperone. She went plainclothes so as not to be recognized.

"Do not you think it strange, Alima? It's like father disappeared and all we get is a letter? Those actions are not true to his nature. I know there must be something secret happening." Vir said. Alima solemnly agreed with her princess.

"Indeed, milady. I never would have expected this kind of clandestine behavior. The servants are already beginning to talk, and I'm sure you know how that goes." Alima said, rolling her eyes.

The princess stopped walking all the sudden and seemed to be listening for something.

"Alima, do you hear that?" Vir asked, looking in the direction of the nearby mine.

"Hear what, miss? I'm afraid I don't know what you are trying to indicate." The town was indeed full of sound, horses' feet, merchants advertising wares, and just the general noise of many conversations occurring at once.

"The metal sound. Over there." Vir pointed, although she couldn't quite see the source over the buildings and hills between.

"Oh, you mean the mines miss? Yes, I do believe the diggers are at work today." Alima said.

"Let's go see them. I've never seen them work and they've never been this close to town before." Vir took Alima's hand and began walking towards the sound.

"Milady, with all due respect, I don't think we should be interfering with the operation. And if your mother finds out you went there-"

"She won't find out. Remember, out here, we're just a couple of servants on a holiday with no money and nothing better to do." Vir said. Alima reluctantly accompanied the princess to the dig site.

Vir was intrigued by the sight before her. Very strong men and women were using pickaxes to unearth something. Some of the men paused momentarily in their work to spot the visitors, and upon seeing they were women, put more force into their work. Vir laughed a little.

"Don't draw attention to yourself." Alima warned.

"Then let's go over here." Vir said, heading towards a small gathering of rocky hillside. There was a big tree that lent shade in a wide expanse, and the girls gratefully sat under it to rest. Lost in conversation, they didn't notice a creature come up to investigate them. It made a strange noise that sounded like a growl, but not angry. The girls turned around, and Alima screamed, hurriedly backing away and trying to take Vir with her.

"Milady, we must hurry back! It's not safe here! We've no weapons to defend ourselves!" she cried. The creature was not startled by Alima's outburst, but rather stared curiously at Vir. It growled again, softer this time, and tilted its head. Vir seemed to be just as curious.

"Alima, wait."

"Whatever for?!"

"I don't think it means any real harm. I wonder if it's hungry." Vir procured a piece of roll from her apron pocket and handed it out to the creature. Sniffing, it gently took the bread with its two little hands and ate it. Satisfied, it made a happy sound, or at least to Vir's ears. "It's adorable! I want to keep it." Vir declared.

"Your Highness, we don't even know what that thing is, and your parents would be livid if you brought that back. I'd be fired, for heaven's sake! I thought we were on friendly terms." Alima said.

"Of course we are, Alima. You're the best friend I've ever had. I'd never willingly do anything that I thought would get you in trouble. So I'll keep him in the attic room above mine." Vir said. At this statement, the creature growled, an annoyed sound. "What? Was it something I said?" Vir asked. In response, the creature picked a flower and placed it between two of its horns. "Oh! My sincerest apologies! Of course you're a girl, just like us. I think I'll call you Jade." Vir looked back towards the town. "Well, we can't very well go back through town with Jade. Good thing I know a back way!" Vir said. She began walking around the hill where the workers wouldn't spot them, and Jade and Alima followed.

Little did Vir know, she just happened upon a live fossil pokemon by the name of Rampardos.


	3. Royal Duties

There was nothing scarier to Vir than an arranged marriage, especially to a stranger. Opening her eyes, Vir saw Jade standing in front of her.

"Jade? How did you find me? Oh, please tell me you didn't lead them here." Looking quickly over her shoulder, the princess was relieved to see nobody in pursuit. Jade began waving her little monster arms and pointing toward the mine. "What is it? You want me to go in there? But it's not safe." Vir said. At her reluctance, the rampardos' gesturing became more frantic. Suddenly, they both heard noises approaching from behind the princess. Before Vir could react, Jade took her hand and pulled her into the mines.

The intense need to get away encouraged Vir to keep running, following Jade to wherever she was leading. "Oh, I do wish you could talk." She said between breaths. Jade grumbled and kept going, a little slower this time. The lights in the mine ended at a point ahead, and Vir said, "We can't go any further. There's no light." Jade stopped to look back at the princess, a knowing certainty in her otherwise expressionless monster face. Vir nodded, trusting Jade's sense of direction, if that's what it was.

Vir kept ahold of Jade's hand in the darkness. But soon, glimmers of light began to reappear. These were not covered torches. The lights were an iridescent green, glimmering throughout the mines with every step. Approaching the wall, she could see the mysterious pulsing light was coming from crystal-like protrusions embedded in the tunnel. Jade kept walking and stopped when she realized her princess was no longer beside her. Turning back, she could see Vir holding a piece of glowing crystal and analyzing it.

The sound of feet began to echo in the tunnel. Gasping, Vir gathered her skirts and ran to catch up to Jade, who took her hand again and ran with her. Vir still clutched the crystal in her other hand. Soon, darkness returned to the mine, and though Vir would prefer not to run where she couldn't see, she trusted Jade to help her evade her pursuers.

They ran in the dark for some time, taking unusual turns until Vir found herself on the brink of exhaustion. Her corset restricted the volume of breaths she could take, but there was no time to discard it. "Jade, I need-" her head crashed against something invisible and solid, and she was rendered unconscious.

It was another day's work mining coal and searching for ancient Pokemon fossils. Roark, gym leader of Oreburgh City, planned a double shift today to harvest as much coal as possible before the snows came. The air outside was already beginning to chill, so he was grateful for the slighter warmth of the underground. He returned to the vein he was working the previous day, turned on his head lamp, and began to work. His prize Pokemon Rampardos worked beside him, as always. The sounds of his fellows could be heard across the mine, talking interspersed with the sounds of metal on stone, rock Pokemon going back and forth, and the hum of heavy equipment meant to excavate less delicate sections of earth. As he worked, his mind began to wander. He thought of his father Byron, wondered if he would come home to spend the holidays with family or if he'd claim some obscure training obligation and be absent.

After a time, Roark noticed his Rampardos was no longer nearby. He stopped to look around. He could still see other workers and Pokemon, business as usual.

"Rampardos?" he called. "Has anyone seen Rampardos?" he asked no one in particular. One worker responded,

"I think I saw him go that way." He pointed. "I thought he was just going to fetch something."

"Hmm." Roark went in the direction the worker indicated, noticing that this passage led away from the current section being worked on. _This section isn't scheduled to be surveyed for excavation until the next season. Why would Rampardos be over here?_ Roark wondered. Suddenly the sound of running footsteps approached, and a worker emerged from further down the tunnel. He stopped in front of Roark, catching his breath.

"Roark, there's someone down there," the worker managed.

"Is Rampardos down there? Did you find him?" Roark asked. The worker nodded.

"Yes, but there's someone else down there too. A woman and another Rampardos."

Shocked, Roark ran down the passage and motioned for the worker to follow. Upon coming to a dead end, he found Rampardos conversing with another of his kind, who was gesturing madly, and a woman in a dress lying face down in the dirt, unresponsive.


	4. Escape

Vir's mother, the queen, was outraged at her daughter for bringing home a wild creature the likes of which her royal majesty nor any of the castle staff have ever seen. But after demonstrating Jade's kind and friendly nature, people began to gradually lose their fear to a wondering curiosity. Queen Mystrelle would not have Jade live in the house, however; Vir would have to provide suitable living quarters for her creature in the kennels with the dogs. This proved to not be as much of a problem as initially thought. The dogs were mostly afraid of Jade.

Vir spent time with Jade every day. They, along with faithful Alima, hunted stones together and bonded handsomely. One rainy uneventful afternoon, the queen summoned Vir to her chambers. Alima attended Vir to the queen's door, but was ultimately forbidden to enter on this occasion. Curtsying obediently, Alima took her leave. Vir and her mother were not always on the best of terms. Whereas Vir was open to new ideas and experiences, Mystrelle was a stickler for tradition and correctness. They often clashed on opinions which helped form their tense relationship. Today Mystrelle was dressed in a fine morning dress, her hair pulled back into a partial style with a sparkling adornment near the fixture. She was seated at her table drinking tea when Vir came in. Before speaking, Vir curtsied low in the respectful manner of a daughter to a parent. Mystrelle raised her eyes from the surface of the table and said,

"My daughter, please be seated."

"Is everything alright mother?" Vir asked. She was a little nervous. Mystrelle always had a short fuse when it came to things she didn't like. And there always seemed to be a lot of those.

"Everything's fine. I merely wished to speak to you of your future." Uh oh. Vir knew exactly where this was going and she didn't like it.

"Mother, I'm just not ready-" she began.

"Nevermind what you are or aren't ready for, Viridis. As a princess, you have a responsibility to the throne to marry well and produce heirs." Mystrelle was not having any of it. "I have chosen a suitable man who you shall take as your husband following your coming of age day." Vir couldn't believe this was happening. She just wanted all of it to stop.

"Mother, I can't marry someone I've never met before. It just doesn't feel right." she said. Mystrelle for once didn't raise her voice at Vir.

"My dear, we can't always make the choices we want in life. Sometimes we must do the best we can with what we're given, because we have responsibilities to the people."

Alima loitered in the hallway around the corner, making herself look busy by dusting picture frames whenever people passed her. Upon seeing the princess, Alima rushed to her side. Vir's expression was defeated, her shoulders slumped. Not proper posture for a lady of her standing but Alima knew better than to mention it at this time.

"My lady, how fare thee?" she ventured.

"Mother will simply not take no for an answer." the princess replied. Alima didn't need to ask what the conversation was about. She understood her princess perfectly. It's part of why they got on so well as friends as opposed to her other ladies in waiting, who performed their duties but were otherwise a constant bore. Alima honestly didn't know what to say to make Vir feel better. These matters were simply out of the control of a servant. But she tried anyway.

"My lady, no matter what happens, know that I will always be here for you, in all matters." Vir smiled and hugged Alima close.

"You're my best friend."

Deciding to push away her worries, Vir and Alima went to town again, this time with Jade. They were not in disguise, so they had a retinue of guards, and most importantly, permission. As they walked through a shopping district, the people stared at Jade. Some looks were apprehensive, others appreciative. Vir supposed they thought she acquired a rare creature from outside the kingdom, as an exotic pet of sorts. But Jade was much more than a pet. Though she didn't speak words, she made her own monstrous sounds, and never left the princess' side.

"You'd never think she was a 'she' by looking at her." Alima said. "How, if I may inquire, are you aware of her gender?" The princess shrugged.

"I'm not sure how to explain it really...I feel like I just know it somehow."

"Then I will trust your judgment, milady." Alima said. They came to a tailor's shop, and went inside. Jade was immediately fascinated with the ribbons, bolts of cloth, and other accessories throughout the main room. The seamstress at the counter curtsied respectfully.

"Princess Viridis, 'tis an honor to welcome you. I assumed you would be stopping by sometime. Is there anything I can assist you with?" Vir nodded and said,

"I'm in the market for a something...for a pretty monster. My creature Jade would like something to accentuate her look. And she is most definitely a she." The seamstress looked confused but was compliant.

"Well, I must say I've never dressed an animal, and most certainly not one as...unusual as yours, Princess. What exactly did you have in mind?"

"Oh, nothing extensive. Just a little something. A bow perhaps? Or a length of ribbon?" Vir asked. She noticed Jade staring at a stand of circlets that go about the head.

"She has rather expensive taste, does she not?" Alima said. The princess laughed.

"You can tell she is definitely mine." Vir went over and looked at the display. Then she chose a gold one with emeralds set into it. She placed it over Jade's horns onto her round skull. "This is the one. I reckon a bit of twine will keep it fastened, just about the horns there." After securing it, the princess paid for the item and was about to leave when something in the corner caught her eye.

Upon closer inspection of the object, Vir caught her breath as she beheld a beautiful ballgown partially hidden by shadows. Gently taking some of the skirt in her hands, she marveled at the deep red fabric, duchesse satin over layers of chiffon. The brocade corset was adorned with rubies and diamonds. The seamstress noticed Vir's interest.

"Oh, your highness, I almost forgot. Your mother, the queen, commissioned this dress for you, to be worn at the upcoming ball." Vir looked up, confused.

"Ball?"

"You mean you weren't made aware? A celebration is being held in honor of your recent betrothal to Prince Gavril of Lahovary." Ice shot through Viraiken then, numbing all her limbs to the ends. "Is something wrong, your highness?" asked the seamstress. Vir said nothing, took one step back before bolting out the door at a dead run.

Alima and the princess' guards were in hot pursuit, much to the confusion of the townspeople witnessing the chaos.

"I have to get away, get away from here", thought Vir. She ran without direction, without care, barely managing to keep from tripping over her skirts. At some point she barely registered the absence of her companions, the town, the surrounding semi-wilderness she found herself in, and she realized she found herself at the secret entrance to the mines. Instead of going in, however, Vir knelt on the ground, past caring about the state of her clothes, and made a wish.


	5. Timebent Discovery

After Roark safely delivered the woman into the care of the waiting medical responders, he decided to leave work early, entrusting the rest of the day's work to his second. The whole incident was a shock and would only distract him. It was not a state of mind to have when working underground. At the time of the rescue, his attention was mostly on the woman on the ground, but he did now recall her curious Pokemon. It was intriguing that it was a rampardos like his, but it wore something on its head that allowed it to be differentiated from his own Pokemon. He thought about it as he walked into the Oreburgh gym out of habit.

As he walked toward the front desk, he noticed Ian was reading something. Ian didn't look up as Roark approached.

"What's got your attention?" Roark asked. Ian looked up sharply, brought back to the moment.

"Oh, Roark. You're back early. Actually, you might find this interesting. It's just a column from the Times about local legends. It has some historical significance too. Check it out," Ian said, handing Roark the paper. Roark saw the headline: _The Treasure of Princess Viridis,_ it read. Roark wasn't particularly an expert on local history unless it involved paleontological digs. Thankful for the distraction, he sat down in the lobby and began to read.

 _The old duchy of Vrisira, the present day Oreburgh City, was once a part of the kingdom of Leviel. It was a rich land whose wealth was mostly fed by the many gem and mineral mines that it contained. Historians suggest the abundance of coal in the mines today is due to the limited technology of the past not requiring the use of great amounts of coal, nor having the ability to dig far enough to reach its main deposits. The mines of the past contained not only gems of great monetary value, but legends also. It is said a treasure once existed which was placed in the mines by a great creature, and would lure mine workers with lights and whispers. Despite what anyone may have seen or heard, the treasure has never been found. The princess, it is said, sought to find it, and disappeared into the mines, never to be seen again._

The story was fascinating, but didn't arouse any real excitement for him. Roark had worked the mines for years, and if there really was a "treasure", it surely would have been found by now. Since that time, the mines have been extended and further excavated. It did strike him as odd that the princess simply disappeared. That just didn't sound right. Roark went back up to the counter.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Ian said. "I wonder what the treasure supposedly was."

"It was probably made up by the people of that time. Realistically, it would have been discovered by now, if it were true. What about the princess, though? What do you think happened to her?" Roark asked. Ian shrugged.

"I've heard different theories. One, that she got tired of living under the royal thumb and fled, disguising herself as a peasant to leave the kingdom. Another theory says she went looking for the treasure with the help of a commoner she befriended, to accrue a bigger dowry so she could marry a man of her choice. And lastly, that she was murdered."

"Murdered?!" Ian was quick to clarify. "Nobody knows what really happened. They are all just rumors. They never did find her as far as I know. So most likely, she got away," Ian said.

"I think I'll head over to the library to find out more about this," Roark said.

"All right. Good luck in your search. I'll be here when you get back," Ian said.

"Oh, yes, in fact. We happen to have a portrait of the princess right this way, if you'd like to see it." Roark followed the librarian down a separate hallway, one that was away from the main areas where books were kept. "The library isn't a museum by any standards, but we do have some relics the town decided to hold onto," the woman explained. When they got to the wall where the picture was kept, Roark saw it was encased in thick glass and covered with a drape. As the covering was removed, Roark laid his eyes on the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

His eyes rested on hers, cordovan on indigo. They held an expression of wisdom, rebellion, kindness, and secrets. The mischief she hid was hinted at in her lips, a perfect bow of bright coral. Her delicate features were framed by a cascade of gold, her hair flowing in waves from an updo secured at the back of her head. Her diadem was a graceful demure addition to her peach day dress. She stood with her hands gently clasped before her, holding a rock of some sort. And behind her stood a very familiar Pokemon. These details all converged so rapidly and assaulted Roark's memory so vividly, he was speechless. The woman in the painting, could be the identical twin to the woman he found on the floor of the mine earlier today. The librarian's voice snapped him back to his senses, if only just.

"She's quite remarkable, wouldn't you say?" she asked. Roark's eyes remained fixed on the image before him as he silently nodded.

"Yes, very much so," he agreed.

After thanking the woman and leaving the library, he raced back to the gym.

"Ian, you're not going to believe this!" he shouted upon entering through the front doors.

Following Roark's recounting of his discovery, Ian suggested he visit the woman in the hospital, to make sure she's all right. At least as a courtesy. Roark fervently agreed, though he couldn't help a slight feeling of apprehension. What was he going to say to her? The next day, when he got to the main desk, he realized he didn't know how to ask for her specifically. He never did learn her name, and he wasn't about to embarrass himself by asking for the name of the lost princess. Instead, he just described the incident.

"There was a woman found in the mine yesterday. I never did catch her name. Do you know if she's taking visitors?" he asked the informant.

"Let me see if I can find her in the inpatient records," the man said. Roark looked around while he waited. He wasn't sure what to do with his hands. Normally he just carried his helmet, but he was in normal clothes for this visit. He'd also taken a shower so he didn't smell like the mine.

"Sir? The woman you're looking for is in room 3B, on the second floor," the man said. Roark thanked him and headed that way.

The nurse made her aware of a visitor before he entered, so she wasn't startled by a stranger coming to see her. She looked up shyly as the man entered, taking his hands out of his pockets. Her Pokemon was beside her, vigilant. Roark now realized this rampardos had a crown on its head. "Hi," he said. The woman managed a small smile.

"Hello," she replied. She waited for him to speak again, but he stuck his hands back in his pockets, and seemed to search for words. She spoke instead. "It's nice to see you again." This time Roark found words.

"You know me?" he asked.

"No, not really. I only just met you yesterday. But I never got your name," she said.

"It's Roark," he said, a bit too quickly. He swallowed, awestruck by her beauty, even as she was disheveled from lack of sleep.

"Roark…" she said, as if she were sampling a new delicacy. His name sounded like music on her tongue, so unlike how he was used to hearing it. She smiled then, and his face lit up upon seeing hers. "Well, it's very nice to make your acquaintance, sir. My name is…" she hesitated, not making eye contact with Roark. Confused by her behavior, he tried to gently coax her words forth. _She did hit her head, after all,_ Roark thought.

"Yes…?" he said. She sighed and shook her head.

"Never mind. You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said. Now Roark was even more confused.

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't I believe you?" he asked. She didn't answer his question.

"With all due respect, I don't know how I got here, or where I am or… _when_ I am. Everything's so…different, I can't—" she stopped, rubbing her temples in frustration. The monitors started beeping faster, and the nurse reappeared.

"Is everything all right?" she asked. Roark saw the woman's Pokemon move closer to her bedside, protectively.

"Yes, everything's fine. I was just dropping by. I'd better get back to my gym," Roark said, turning toward the glass door.

"Gym?" the woman asked, but Roark had already left the room.

Princess Viridis looked out her hospital window at the world below her. She could see a fair amount of the city from here. "Jade, where in the world are we?" she asked. Jade made a sound that didn't seem distressed, but matter of fact. "You don't seem upset by all this…" Viridis didn't know what to call it. She noticed Jade's eyes were fixed on a certain point. Following this, Viridis seemed to remember something. "Is that…no. It couldn't be. The mine?" It became clear through her memories that what she saw was indeed one of the many mines that her family governed. But all the surrounding buildings and roads were…completely unfamiliar. There wasn't a horse in sight, and the lights held no flames. There were also a lot more of the strange creatures around, like the one she found.

When she first woke up, she was terrified of course. Jade was there to protect her and prevented anyone approaching until Viridis felt comfortable. When she told them her name, they acted like she had lost sense. They were entirely convinced she'd lost her mind or simply didn't remember because of her head injury, which was only some bruising. "Well, I can't keep telling them my real name, or I'll never get out of here. Which means, I'll have to make something up. I can do that," she said. Jade nodded.

The next day, Roark returned to the hospital to visit the woman. This time, he came prepared with flowers. When he entered the room, she was no longer in bed. Instead, she stood by the window, looking out. She didn't turn at his approach, so he went to her. He cleared his throat.

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better," he said. She turned to him then. Bowing her head slightly, she said,

"Thank you. I am also glad…that you returned. And I apologize for my behavior yesterday. It was untoward of me." Roark smiled.

"Well, have they given you the ok to leave yet?" he asked.

"Oh…kay?" she said, uncomprehending.

"What I mean is, did they say you're free to leave?" he clarified. Her expression became stern. But she owed him an explanation.

"Yes, but not alone, which is why I'm glad you're here. I was afraid I'd discouraged you from coming again," she said. "And…there's more, but I'd rather not discuss it here. May we leave?" she asked.

"Of course. Let's just go to the desk out here and finalize everything," Roark said. She followed him.

The hospital gave her clothes to wear that she felt entirely alien in, but Roark assured her they were 'normal'. As they walked, she began to explain her situation.

"The reason I said you wouldn't believe me if I told you my name was because those people at that infirmary didn't. They all told me 'she' was long dead, and I had clearly forgotten my name when I hit my head. Except, I didn't. I remember everything perfectly," she said. "My name is Viridis Renza Farrin Enesortia, Princess of Leviel. But, admittedly, it doesn't look like Leviel anymore," Viridis said. She braced for the ridicule, and almost lost her step when it didn't come.

"I suspected as much," Roark said.

"Y-You did?" she stammered. "But, we only just met! Everyone else thinks I'm dead," she said.

"When I saw your painting, the likeness was remarkable. It was an effort not to say anything on the matter. I'm sure you could imagine my embarrassment if I was wrong," he said. "So. You're here now, in a time completely unfamiliar to you. Would you care to explain the details?" he asked.

"I was just getting to that, actually. It happened when I ran away. I was upset because…" she began. Roark didn't interrupt, letting her continue at her own pace. "And in hindsight I suppose it was selfish of me, but I was against it. I still am, truthfully. I was promised to a foreign prince, in order to secure a greater portion of land for our kingdom's trade. I was distraught…I just couldn't bring myself to marry a stranger. So I fled, and took Jade with me," she said, indicating her Pokemon. "Jade convinced me to hide in the mine over there," she said, pointing, "and I began to see strange lights and hear whispering. Jade kept leading me towards whatever it was, and the next thing I remember were brief hazy glimpses of a bespectacled man with a flame on his hat." Roark thought for a long moment before responding.

"So you somehow ended up in the future. That's incredible, but I'm not sure how that would be possible," Roark said.

"You don't believe me?" Viridis asked.

"No, I do. I just don't know what to make of all this, honestly. Right now, we're headed back to my gym. We can figure out what to do next once we get there and get settled," he said.

"Oh, I meant to ask before. What is a 'gym'?" she asked. Roark smiled. He was going to enjoy the next days explaining the ways of modern life.


	6. Beautiful Things

Princess Viridis learned more about the future in an hour's conversation with a stranger than she ever learned of the past from her lessons. When they first returned to the gym, Vir admitted she felt strange in the garments given her by the infirmary. She had the opportunity to explain her discomfort, which fascinated Roark, and prompted him to take her shopping for something more suitable for a "lady of her station."

"At least when I'm not exploring," Vir amended. The boutique was not within reasonable walking distance, so they would travel in Roark's vehicle. It was a pickup truck, which raised the issue of Jade. Roark gave Vir a Poke Ball and demonstrated its use. Jade, however, was less than compliant. Vir gave a frustrated sigh. "Jade, it's either this, or you stay behind. Which would you rather?" Vir asked. Jade cocked her head to the side, face unreadable as she appeared to debate. "Alright, last try," Vir said. She threw the Poke Ball.

This time Jade went inside. The ball trembled a bit before settling. "That's it then?" Vir asked. "She's really in there?"

"Yeah. Pretty amazing, isn't it?" Roark said. Vir stared wonderingly at the Poke Ball in her hand, almost unable to comprehend how such a large creature could fit inside a handheld object and weigh not nearly as much. They went to the truck.

"It's open," Roark said, making his way to the driver's side. Vir stopped him with a look. Roark was confused, but only for a moment. "Oh, sorry. This is all new for me. Here," he said, opening the door for her and handing her inside, like a proper gentleman. She took his hand and turned her head away at his touch. His grip was unexpectedly firm and steady for his somewhat slight frame, and something passed between them in that moment.

In the few seconds it took Roark to walk around to the other side, Vir tried to collect herself and shake this feeling from her mind. But once inside the vehicle, she was overwhelmed with the nearness of him. His scent was like a permanent fixture. The interior itself was disheveled, but not overly so. There was dirt here and there, but such things never troubled Vir as they did other noble ladies she used to know. And he did work underground, after all.

Roark started the vehicle, but then paused as he realized he had no idea where Vir would like to shop. He barely went clothes shopping for himself. Vir let him decide where to go, since she wouldn't know where anything was. "Hey, while you're in there, I'm going to use the time to buy groceries. Oh, and before I forget—" Roark handed Vir some money. "Use this to pay for whatever you decide to get." Vir thanked him and went inside.

When Roark left, his thoughts raced. How was she going to get back to her own time? How did she get here to begin with? Does she like the future? Will she even want to go back? If she didn't, where would she go? Would she…want to stay with him? _Don't be ridiculous,_ he chided himself. _She's a princess._ He called out Geodude to help put things in the cart. "What do you think, Geodude? Do you think she should stay?" Roark asked. Geodude seemed to think so.

He arrived back at the shop early, still arguing with himself with his head on his arms against the wheel. The bell on the shop door jingled, and Roark looked up. He was blown away every time he looked at her, but seeing Viridis emerge in a green dress and matching hat made him wonder if he would ever not be surprised by her. She came over to the passenger door, and the smile she gave him was a thing he never wanted to stop seeing. He smiled back, completely smitten. Then she looked down at the door and he shook himself out of it. He got out and went to open the door for her. This time, when he took her hand, she hesitated before letting go of his. It made his heart begin to race. "You look beautiful," he said. He pretended not to notice his own reaction as he got back in and drove home.

When they returned, Roark said, "I have a challenger this afternoon, so I'll be warming up for the battle. In the meantime, you can do what you'd like. I know you wanted to check out the internet. There's a computer upstairs in the office."

"I'd love to. Thank you. And…thank you for the clothes, also," Vir said. Roark felt himself falling into those feelings again, but he nodded and turned toward the battlefield proper to train for his match.

She didn't sit at the desk right away. Many different shapes caught her attention as she remembered to turn on the lights, thinking how amazing it was that one no longer relied on wax and tinder in this age. She let her hand lightly drift over things, not displacing anything, just carefully observing. She took a turn about the room in this way, and was amazed at what she saw. Not so much at the modern things she was becoming accustomed to seeing after a few days, but the old things. The rocks and their unique shapes, some with things trapped inside them. These intrigued her the most, because they reminded her of her own collection, and fascination with rocks of many kinds.

She came to the desk, where the contraption he called a "computer" rested. She had no idea how to use one, and honestly had no interest now that she'd been given this glimpse into his personal space. Normally she'd have felt intrusive as this most certainly was not proper in her upbringing, but he insisted it was fine. He seemed to have nothing to hide, no insecurities. Next to the computer was the hat with the "flame" she saw him wearing when she first glimpsed his face. She took it in her hands. It was surprisingly heavier than she expected, and had many scratches on its surface. It had an insert with straps and she wondered what it was for, exactly. The fixture on the front that housed the light she saw was not lit. Noticing a mirror on the closet door, she curiously tried it on.

The door handle turned and the sound surprised Vir. She jumped, and the hat slid down her face as someone entered. She heard a familiar chuckle, and lifted the hat to see Roark standing there with a beautiful smile. Mortified, she took it off and handed it to him. But he didn't take it. Vir froze, thinking she had crossed an unforgivable boundary, beginning to silently panic. But then she didn't know what to think as he closed the distance between them, tracing his fingers along a lock of her hair. His hand came to rest on her jaw, and she felt as though it belonged there, it seemed to fit so well. She felt herself being pulled closer, and in that moment where they connected, their feelings were laid bare, there was no more confusion.

She sensed the desire trembling in him as he fought to hold it back. He kissed her tentatively, and she let him. But his actions awakened a desire in her too, and she held his shoulders, encouraging him. She fell into the magic as the passion between them intensified, their kisses becoming more insistent, needful, breathy.

They stopped suddenly, backing off a little as there came a knock on the door. "Roark, your challenger is here. He's waiting outside the field," Ian called. Roark hastily collected himself, trying to look like he hadn't just been feverishly kissing a princess.

"I'll be right there! Tell him to go ahead in," Roark replied. When he heard Ian's footsteps fading, he turned back to Vir. She looked down, unsure what to think. Roark suddenly felt like he shouldn't have done what he did, but then Vir looked up again, and her smile was familiar. The smile in the painting was the one he saw now, of mischief and a shared secret. It took his breath away. "You're welcome to watch," he murmured, still caught in the spell. Vir followed close behind him down to the battlefield and took a place in the stands.


End file.
